Euro 2016 Qualifier: Scotland vs Georgia match preview

A look ahead to Saturday’s European Championship Qualifying fixture at the Ibrox Stadium

Gordon Strachan (Press Association)

Scotland will be hoping that the form they showed last time out, when they lost 2-1 in Germany after a battling performance, will be enough to dispatch Georgia and get the ball rolling in their campaign. Gordon Strachan’s side have not qualified for a European Championship finals since Euro 96, but should be targeting the second qualification spot along with Poland and the Republic of Ireland in a tricky Group D.

Georgia’s manager, Temur Ketsbaia, is well known to British football fans after entertaining spells at Newcastle, Wolves and Dundee. His side seemed to have held the Republic of Ireland to a point in their first game, only for Aiden McGeady to win the match with an extraordinary last-minute strike. A part of the Soviet Union until 1991, Georgia have never qualified for a major tournament.

KICK-OFF: Saturday, 5.00pm

PAST THREE MEETINGS…

Georgia 2 (Mchedlidze, Siradze) Scotland 0, European Championship Qualifier, October 2007

Scotland 2 (Boyd, Beattie) Georgia 1 (Arveladze), European Championship Qualifier, March 2007

STATS…

Last time the sides met in Glasgow, Georgia’s goal was scored by Shota Arveladze, who had enjoyed a successful spell at Rangers.

There are 81 places between the sides in the FIFA world rankings. Scotland are joint-29 with Wales, Georgia are 110.

Both meetings between the sides so far have been won by the home side.

Georgia midfielder will have to put any extravagant birthday plans he has on hold – he turns 22 the day before the game.

ODDS…

Scotland to win: 1.72

Georgia to win: 4.8

Draw: 3.7

TV: Live on Sky Sports 5, 5.00pm, highlights on Sky Sports 5 at 12.30am.